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Post by Patcat on Jul 5, 2007 7:33:40 GMT -5
Will air 8pm EST Sunday, July 8, and 12am EST Monday, July 9, on the Bravo Cable Network
First aired on April 3, 2005, as part of the Fourth Season
Written by Marlene Gomand Meyers and Rene Balcer Directed by Jean de Segonzac
Guest Actors: John Shea (Trevor Lipton), Gaby Hoffman (Rachel), Melissa Leo (Maureen Curtis)
Synopsis: The murders of a husband and wife in the Witness Protection Program first appear to be a hit by an organized crime family, but Eames and Goren discover a connection to the couple's adopted daughter.
Quotes:
Trevor (in response to Goren's reading of his facial expression): "My, my. A human polygraph."
Carver (about an FBI agent): "That man's an ass!"
A solid, if not spectacular, outing from Season 4, with strong performances by John She and Melissa Leo as the manipulative, self-centered biological parents. Our original discussion of this episode was generally positive, but no one appeared to feel strongly about this episode. Why do some episodes inspire more comment and varying opinions? What pushes our buttons?
The FBI doesn't come off well in many LOCI episodes, or in the L&O world in general. Why is this? Does it reflect any public impressions of the FBI?
Would Trevor and Maureen really kill Rachel? Would Trevor kill Maureen? How do these two rank among LOCI villains?
Rachel's adoptive parents appear to have treated her well. Why does she fall so easily for Trevor and Maureen? After she learns about her biological parents, will Rachel survive?
At the time of the first showing of this episode, there were several comments about how this story employed all four of the regular characters. How does this episode depict the relationships among Goren, Eames, Carver and Deakins?
Comments: Some LOCI episodes dazzle at first, but fade a bit with repeated viewings. Others get better, and I place THE GOOD CHILD in the latter category. I wouldn't rank it among the great LOCI episodes, but it's a well constructed story with some terrific moments. Even Carver and Deakins get moments to shine, especially as they deal with the FBI. (I would have loved to have heard the conversation in that car with Goren, Eames and Carver as they returned to the city.)
Patcat
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Post by ragincajun on Jul 5, 2007 11:30:54 GMT -5
This isn't one of my fav episode, and I must say it isn't due to the content. For some reason, the actress playing Rachel just rubs me the wrong way. I feel no empathy for her. I don't know if its the actress or the character, her total disregard for the people who raised her, she is acting like a 15 yr old and not an 18 yr old. I guess I have never had to be in a witness protection program, but seems to me, if she was of legal age it was her right not to go along.
Do I think they were gunna kill Rachel, yes I do, seems Trevor and Maureen were totally into themselves and each other. I don't think at the time Trevor had planned to kill Maureen, but I think Maureen never really trusted Trevor and in time, that lack of trust would have drove them appart.
My favorite parts, When Goren looks into Maureens eyes and tells her "your probably gunna think I am flirting with you" Also his Laughing when he discovered she stole their stapler.
One thing I always questioned, was it really neccessary to blow up those pictures to life size of the crime scene? I am sure that was very expensive. But its just a tv show.
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Post by Techguy on Jul 5, 2007 14:20:24 GMT -5
This was and still is one of my favorite episodes from Season 4, largely in part because of the excellent use of all four regular cast members.
Trevor is one of the most despicable and reprehensible CI villains ever for killing his biological daughter's adoptive parents and then setting the girl up to be killed in order to get her inheritance, and that opinion hasn't changed or diminished with time. Overall I rated "The Good Child" an "A" in the episode poll.
This episode is also mostly memorable for the stir caused by the "egg cup" comment.
More to come later if and when I either recall more specific details or make the time to watch it again.
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effie
Detective
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Posts: 264
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Post by effie on Jul 5, 2007 14:36:59 GMT -5
There is much to like here... a very solid episode. It is good to hear Goren genuinely laughing when the stapler is stolen, and his amused reaction to it. The handling of Trevor and his wife by Goren and Eames as they roll with the flow of the supposed domestic dispute call...
I find Trevor and Maureen particularly creepy and nasty as they have that scene where they just want to "concentrate on being mommy and daddy..." ICK. Childlike and irresponsible people capable of murder. Not a good combination...
And it has always interested me that for whatever unknown reason, this is one of the only/the only episode that Goren and Eames aren't driving the SUV. When they go to Buffalo to talk to Dottie they have a four door sedan... not that I've ever understood why they drive an SUV in the first place...
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Post by Cassie on Jul 5, 2007 16:37:23 GMT -5
One thing I always questioned, was it really neccessary to blow up those pictures to life size of the crime scene? I am sure that was very expensive. But its just a tv show. Yeah really, why didnt they blow up any of their other crime scenes?
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Post by ragincajun on Jul 5, 2007 16:46:06 GMT -5
another thing about Trevor, when he cooked Lasagna, he and Maureen's attempts to be sympathetic about her feelings since it was the last meal her other mom had cooked for her didn't seem heartfelt. They seemed to laugh it off, them Maureen said something like well at least your with your real family now, just shows how much they really didn't care about her. Then Trevor framing his wife for the tip off to the Mob.
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Post by Summerfield on Jul 5, 2007 17:28:01 GMT -5
Track stars, red roses and soda cans left on the table. I thought it was truly a creepy tale due to the fact "the parents" were just so self absorbed and had no real emotional connection to anything but money.
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effie
Detective
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Post by effie on Jul 6, 2007 8:04:26 GMT -5
As a long time theater gal I know you can justify anything... it just depends on how WELL you can justify it...
blowing up the crime scene photos has always seemed a bit odd to me too in that its the only time they did it... but a couple reasons/excuses :0) I came up with were...
- saved them another trip to the crime scene?
- perhaps the feebs wouldn't give them access the the house?
- perhaps Goren needed to see what it looked like at the time of the shooting and not the cleaned up version after the csu techs got done with it?
who knows... but it gave Deakins a good snark ...
:0)
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Post by DonnaJo on Jul 6, 2007 8:14:58 GMT -5
Right, effie. Didn't the photo replica show the number of plates, coffee mugs, and egg cups used that morning by the family? And that one of the egg cups was missing, meaning that it was swiped by Maureen?
Although, they could have just used regular sized photos of the drainboard to make their point. And yes, love Deakin's snark. Very clever writing.
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effie
Detective
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Posts: 264
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Post by effie on Jul 6, 2007 9:48:44 GMT -5
the devil's in the details... right... so the MONOGRAMMED eggcups were there, minus Rachel's...
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effie
Detective
off chasing plot bunnies...
Posts: 264
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Post by effie on Jul 6, 2007 9:50:51 GMT -5
Also...anyone think it interesting that Carver is so pissed about the Buffalo DA trying to railroad Dottie -- when any number of times he himself has sometimes skirted the issue of true guilt versus simply finding someone to pay for the crime.
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Post by Patcat on Jul 6, 2007 11:35:54 GMT -5
Effie--you've touched on one of my problems with Carver. He's always warning the detectives--especially Goren--about using tricks, but is quick to use their tricks and his own when it suits him. I've written at length about my anger at his behavior in WANT. But I have to also say that Carver has ethics--there are places he won't go. He's got boundaries, even if they do seem to shift a bit. He also has to deal with politics in ways that Goren and Eames and even Deakins don't, and I think this is a case that involves a lot of territoriality (is that a word?)
I miss Carver. He was an excellent foil for Eames and especially Goren. I also always felt that Courtney Vance was one of the few actors who could really go toe to toe with Mr. D'Onofrio.
Patcat
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spits
Detective
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Post by spits on Jul 6, 2007 20:50:20 GMT -5
Also...anyone think it interesting that Carver is so pissed about the Buffalo DA trying to railroad Dottie -- when any number of times he himself has sometimes skirted the issue of true guilt versus simply finding someone to pay for the crime. I think sometimes it's easier to recognize something "wrong" with someone else's actions rather than recognize them in yourself. I get the impression that Carver would be the type to externalize rather than internalize (perhaps, as Patcat mentioned, this is part of why he is such an excellent foil for Goren who tends to look "inward"). I miss Carver too! I'm really enjoying the episode selection from season 4 - while season 2 is currently my favorite, season 4 is not far behind. I too felt that this episode was a great use of the cast as a whole and agree that the lack of empathy shown by the birth parents was unsettling. I sometimes wonder about what it would take to become that emotionally detached - perhaps Maureen's desire to be with Trevor had reached the point of obsession as her behavior was quite obviously not rational. In response to the question regarding the episode discussion: maybe because the birth parents parents felt emotionally detached, the viewers did too... Favorite line: "I think I've been on this ride in Disney World"
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Post by musicwench on Jul 7, 2007 12:14:03 GMT -5
This is one I haven't seen in a while. I'm going to have to watch it before I can comment in detail since the details are missing but I do have a few comments.
In regards to Patcat's questions about how the FBI are portrayed on LOCI. I think in many crime dramas FBI are portrayed in a not favorable light (unless it's about the FBI itself that is) because of the general idea of 'turf battles' between various law enforcement agencies. You see it all the time in many crime dramas. If it's about the FBI you have local police with bad attitudes about them, etc. Just depends on whose POV it is. In LOCI it's NYPD vs. FBI and since the NYPD are the good guys, the FBI comes off badly.
And as to Carver, I've always found his character to be very duplicitous. It's probably just one of the necessities of being an ADA I suppose. There's this need for justice but there's also politics. I think it's an accurate depiction of someone in his position.
As to guest stars, I always love Homicide alum and it was nice to see Melissa Leo.
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Post by Techguy on Jul 7, 2007 12:40:35 GMT -5
Carver behaves like most prosecutors in real life, accepting only the evidence that supports the case he's building and disregarding anything that doesn't fit. Unfortunately, it's the kind of thinking that, carried to the extreme, results in debacles like the Duke lacrosse rape case which got North Carolina prosecutor Mike Nifong in deep trouble. I don't think Carver's ever gone that far but he's tread a fine line on some occasions and come very close, thankfully rescued by the skills of elite detectives like Goren and Eames.
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